Abstract
Having a song ‘stuck’ in the head – an earworm – is a curious cognitive phenomenon frequently experienced among the general population. The intrusive and involuntary nature of earworms has led to recent survey studies investigating their potential link with obsessive–compulsive (OC) traits. However, those higher in OC traits may tend to self-report more earworms and evaluate their episodes less positively, simply because they are more likely to notice and be disturbed by the experience. This study employed both experience sampling methodology (ESM) and a retrospective survey to investigate earworms in relation to OC traits. Participants ( n = 131) undertook online surveys assessing past experiences of earworms, OC traits, and musical experience, followed by 3 days of experience sampling probes. Results indicated that OC traits moderated the relationship between the two measures of earworm frequency, such that consistency between the two measures became weaker at higher levels of OC traits. Ratings of earworm unpleasantness were highly correlated between retrospective and ESM measures, yet OC traits did not moderate this relationship. These findings indicate that individual differences should be considered in choosing a methodology to measure earworm experiences and that ESM may provide a more sensitive measure of earworm frequency.
Published Version
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